Earlier this year, the Board of Trustees asked the District to take a closer look at best practices in public safety with a goal of maintaining and enhancing safety on its campuses. Soon after, in March, the District formed a Public Safety Services Study Committee to conduct research and make recommendations. The committee has hosted Campus Safety Open Forums so that everyone on our campus has the opportunity to offer opinions and concerns about this vital area.

While the forums wrapped up yesterday, we still want to hear from you.

Please complete a confidential survey which can be found at http://bit.ly/2bwpfF9.

To learn more about this effort and for schedule updates, please visit the study website. These conversations also will continue through the use of #SMCCCD #Forums16.

Thank you in advance for your active participation.

This Fall 2016, Skyline College’s new Fabrication Laboratory has kicked into gear with new courses and programs utilizing the inspiring space for innovation made possible through Skyline College’s partnership with Base11. Twenty to seventy-five students access the Fab Lab daily for lecture and laboratory courses in Physics and Engineering including PHYS 106, PHYS 270, ENGR 100, ENGR 260, and ENGR 261. Students in the Engineering lab courses are gearing up for new design experiences now possible with the Fab Lab equipment. In ENGR 261 – Circuits Laboratory, students learn how to design a printed circuit board (PCB) and how to manufacture and assemble the PCB using the Fab Lab’s precision milling machine and electronics prototyping equipment. To further support engineering lab instruction, the Fab Lab now boasts a set of modern electronics test equipment in addition to a 60-user site license for SolidWorks 3D modeling software to design and manufacture products on the Fab Lab’s rapid prototyping equipment.

The Fab Lab is also hosting a new STEM Entrepreneur Accelerator Program that was launched by the Bay Area Entrepreneur Center (BAEC) of Skyline College in partnership with Base 11. Through the 10-week program, students will learn how develop a STEM business model, build their resume, and pitch their ideas to investors. The program includes a laboratory component in which students gain design experience in electronics, design with the laser cutter, and programming, all leading toward the development of a STEM oriented product or service. At the end of the program, students get the opportunity to pitch their company in front of investors and catalyze their STEM career. The program starts this coming Monday September 19, 2016 with lecture sessions held Mondays 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. and design sessions in the Fab Lab on Tuesdays 6:00 – 9:00 pm.

STEM Students and student clubs are also doing exciting work in the Fab Lab. The Engineering and Robotics Club (ERC) are holding their design sessions in the Fab Lab on Fridays from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. During their meetings, members of the ERC learn and develop skills in 3D modeling and 3D printing, electronics prototyping and PCB design, embedded systems programming, and robotics. Honors students in Physics and Engineering are utilizing the new Fab Lab tools to design, build, and research fascinating projects. Honors projects this semester include a Theremin electronic musical instrument, an AM radio receiver, analog audio amplifiers, and a Lorenz attractor analog computer for solving non-linear differential equations.

The Fab Lab is now holding open lab hours for students Mondays 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. and Tuesdays 9:00 a.m. – noon. To find out more about new courses, programs, and services available in the Fab Lab, please contact Engineering Professor Nick Langhoff at langhoffn@smccd.edu or Engineering Laboratory Technician Macro Wehrfritz at wehrfritzm@smccd.edu.

Article by Nicholas Langhoff and Marco Wehrfritz | Photos by William Nacouzi

The Bay Area Entrepreneur Center (BAEC) is holding an exciting 10-week STEM Entrepreneur Accelerator Training Program!  All class sessions will be held at the BAEC in downtown San Bruno. Hands-on activities are conducted in the Fabrication Laboratory (Fab Lab) which is located on the Skyline College campus.  Class begins Monday, September 19, 2016. Time is running out!  Reserve your spot today!

This program delves into the mechanics of entrepreneurship and teaches participants to develop soft skills and learn to create prototypes in the new, state-of-the-art Fab Lab. The course will culminate with a business pitch competition. This will allow a unique opportunity for students to pitch their business ideas in front of investors.

This program is an industry collaboration between Skyline College and Base11. This program is open to all potential entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs who want to stand out as leaders in the STEM industry.

Click here to register.

Article by Terri Wade

The Puente Learning Community has grown to two cohorts for the first time since the inception of the program at Skyline College, and the families and friends of all 52 Puentistas were invited to its annual Noche de Familia.  This event is held in recognition of the vital role that families and friends play in our students’ success. It provides an opportunity for families to meet instructors, gain a better understanding of the learning community, College resources, program events and requirements, and it also provides a safe space for students to discuss their need for support.

The event, which provided support for Spanish-only speakers, began with a welcome from Dr. Luis Escobar, Dean of Counseling, and welcoming remarks from Mary Gutierrez, Dean of Language Arts.  An overview of the Puente Learning Community was then provided with emphasis on the three-part model, calendar of events, and success rates of past Puente students nation-wide.  Afterwards, families and friends learned of a few College resources available to students and/or community members that would aid in the academic success of our Puentistas.  A HUGE thanks to Raymon Gutierrez, Retention Specialist at The Learning Center, Chad Thompson, Interim Director of SparkPoint, and Jorge Murillo, Program Services Coordinator of EOPS/CARE/CalWORKs who presented the benefits of their respective programs to our Puente families.  The information provided was valuable to both our students and their family members who looked to gain more information at the end of the event.

Towards the end of the evening, families and students broke out into separate groups to brainstorm ideas that would ensure student success.  The students came up with a wish list of things they need from their families/friends in order to succeed in college, while the family members and friends came up with a separate list identifying what they could provide to support student success and growth.  When both groups shared their respective lists, they found that both groups identified similar things such as understanding, study time and a quiet space at home, food, and love.

Over 100 people were in attendance, and the success of the event could not have taken place without the support of the Counseling and Language Arts division deans, Learning Communities Coordinator, Marisa Thigpen, fellow Puente faculty who co-facilitated the event, Lucia Lachmayr, Alberto Santellan, Paula Silva, and Counseling Intern, Rocio Aguilar-Pedroza.  Thank you also to all Puente faculty members including Luciana Castro, Denise Hum, John Ulloa, and Mustafa Popal.

For more information regarding the Puente Learning Community, please contact your Puente Co-Coordinators, Melanie Espinueva+Aure, espinuevam@smccd.edu, or Lucia Lachmayr, lachmayrl@smccd.edu

Article and Photos by Melanie Espinueva+Aure

The Bay Area Entrepreneur Center is launching its first intensive entrepreneur incubator program. We are excited to welcome guest instructor Leah Goold-Haws to our inaugural Business Incubator Program starting October 11, 2016.

This 10-week program is designed to provide focused training that assists entrepreneurs in identifying powerful and actionable ways to move their business forward.

Some topics to be covered include:

• Go from idea to execution
• Making prototypes and market testing
• Learn adaptability
• Marketing & brand building from scratch & brand expansion
• Find finances and funding

Participants for the program should be active entrepreneurs with the desire and ability to grow an existing business.

Click here to register!

Article written by Terri Wade

Skyline College Library is extending hours on Saturdays for the remainder of the fall 2016 semester with college support. The Library will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. starting this Saturday, September 17.

Full services are available on Saturdays for students, faculty, staff, and community members including:

• Research & Information Desk: ask-a-librarian for help with research, search strategy, and citations
• Check Out & Reserves: borrowing, library accounts, and textbook reserves
• Technology: print/scan copy, 46 drop-in computers, laptops, iPads, wifi
• Study Rooms Reservations

If you have any questions regarding Library services, feel free to stop by the reference desk or contact Pearl Ly, Director of the Learning Commons.

Article by Pearl Ly

Skyline College hosted a professional development opportunity for staff and faculty in an effort to increase community-wide financial education.  Dr. Erin Yetter of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis provided an engaging Financial Literacy Integration Curriculum Workshop for attendees which covered financial education topics of income, savings, credit, and budgeting.

Staff and faculty from across multiple Instructional and Student Service divisions were in attendance and had the opportunity to undergo the student experience with the curriculum modules. They engaged in discussions around application and relevance to their respective disciplines and students. They were also provided with a lesson workbook containing the curriculum covered, lesson plans, handouts, and class discussion questions.

The curriculum is available for any staff and faculty looking to incorporate financial education into the work they currently do with their students.  Modifications may be made to the curriculum, and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis requests that if modifications are made that the core content of the lesson still be addressed.  Curriculum content and modifiable lesson plans can be obtained by visiting https://www.stlouisfed.ord/education.

SparkPoint and the CTTL worked together with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis to coordinate this professional development activity.  If you would like more information regarding this workshop or related content, please contact Chad Thompson, Interim Director of SparkPoint and Career Services, or Dr. Erin Yetter.

Article and Photo by Melanie Espinueva+Aure